Illinois DNR Announces State and Federal Sites to be Open for Youth Waterfowl Hunting Seasons
Youth Hunt Weekends Precede Start of Regular Waterfowl Seasons in Each Zone
A number of Illinois state parks, fish and wildlife areas, conservation areas and recreation areas will be open to youth waterfowl hunting during the 2012 North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, South Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt and South Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced today. Federal sites that fall under the IDNR waterfowl administrative rule that will be open for the youth seasons are also listed below.
At most sites, regulations that apply during the regular waterfowl hunting season apply during the Youth Hunt (hunters should check for site-specific regulations, including changes in legal shooting hours). During the Youth Hunt, the bag limits are the same as during regular seasons.
As part of the Youth Hunt, hunters age 15 or younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers as long as they are accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. The accompanying adult cannot hunt these species, but may participate in other open seasons.
Youth hunters must have a hunting license. The youth hunter or his or her accompanying adult must have a valid FOID card. The supervising adult does not have to have a hunting license if they are not hunting other species. Youth hunters age 15 or younger are not required to have a state or federal duck stamp.
All waterfowl hunters, including those participating in the Youth Hunt, are required to register with the Harvest Information Program. In order to register with HIP, hunters will need to have their hunting license number available. Hunters should register for HIP at the license vendor when they buy their hunting license or by calling 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648) or online through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.
The lists of state and federal sites to be open during the Youth Waterfowl Hunts in the North, Central, South Central and South zones are below.
2012 North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Oct. 13-14) – State Sites Open
- Chain O’Lakes State Park
- Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area (SFWA)
- Lake DePue SFWA
- Sinnissippi Lake Wildlife Area
- Mississippi River Pools (All located in North Zone)
- WilliamW. Powers State Recreation Area (SRA)
2012 Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Oct. 20-21) – State and Federal Sites Open
- Anderson Lake SFWA
- Banner Marsh SFWA
- Braidwood Lake SFWA
- Clinton Lake SRA
- Coffeen Lake SFWA
- Freeman Mine
- Henderson Creek SFWA
- Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County)
- Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) (Gabaret, Mosenthein, Chouteau Island Units)
- Kankakee River State Park
- Marshall SFWA
- Marshall SFWA – Sparland Unit
- Marshall SFWA – Duck Ranch Unit
- Mazonia SFWA
- Meredosia Lake
- Mississippi River Area (MRA) – All sites managed by MRA
- Mississippi River Pools (All located in Central Zone)
- Momence Wetlands State Natural Area (SNA)
- Pekin Lake SFWA
- Quincy Bay
- Ray Norbut SFWA
- Rice Lake SFWA
- Sanganois SFWA
- Sangchris Lake State Park
- Shelbyville SFWA
- Spring Lake SFWA
- Starved Rock State Park
- Weinberg-King State Park – Spunky Bottoms Unit
- Woodford SFWA
2012 South Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Nov.3-4) – State and Federal Sites Open
- Campbell Pond SHA
- Carlyle Lake SFWA
- Kaskaskia SFWA
- Kinkaid Lake SFWA
- Mississippi River Pools (All located in South Central Zone)
- Oakwood Bottoms
- Pyramid SRA (Captain, Denmark, Galum, and East Conant Units)
- Rend Lake Project Land and Waters
- Ten Mile Creek SFWA
2012 South Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Nov. 10-11) – State and Federal Sites Open
- Cache River SNA
- Cape Bend SFWA
- Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
- Cypress Pond SNA
- Deer Pond SNA
- Devil’s Island Wildlife Management Area
- Dog Island Wildlife Management Area
- Horseshoe Lake SFWA (Alexander County)
- Mermet Lake SFWA
- Mississippi River
- Peabody River King SFWA
- Saline County SFWA
- Sielbeck Forest SNA
- Union County SFWA
For more information on Illinois waterfowl seasons, check the IDNR Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations 2012 -13, which will available at IDNR offices and online through the IDNR web site at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/DigestWaterfowlHuntingRegulations.pdf
For hunter fact sheets online go to http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hunter_fact_sheet/index.htm
